Vow
by xXthenextbookwormXx
Summary: Based off a bonus in the third volume. Kaname leaves. Zero stays. More introspection! Gentle Yuki/Zero leanings. He will keep his vow for her.


I am on a roll! I wrote this entirely while I was at school. Starting with my 11:00 period. This is the fastest I have ever wrote something this long. Anyways, this is based off a bonus chapter in volume 3 of the tankobon. the plot of that bonus is something like this: Before the Night Class is formed Kaname comes to visit Yuki, in bed with a fever that caused her to collapse. He tells her to go to sleep, but she refuses, because he will go away again. Instead she grabs his hand to keep him there. When she awakes Kaname is gone, but Zero is sitting outside her door. He gets up and leaves, and Yuki noticesthat the floor where he was is warm. I thought this totally said something about their relationships, and needed to reiterate it. This fic totally got away from me, and didn't end up saying what I wanted to say. So now I will do another chapter. On the bright side this one is far and away my most plot driven fic, and there's even a bit of dialogue. Have fun! Review!

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the characters, setting or plot of Vampire Knight. I am simply a fan who wishes to see what she can do with words.

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Vow

So the Headmaster was freaking out...again. 'Nothing new here,' thought Zero, returning to his book. When Kaien sent out a message to Kuran Zero frowned, but gave it little thought. Kuran came in a rush, unusual, but Zero studiously ignored him. Only when he caught the words 'fever' and 'Yuki' in the same sentence did he hearken to what was being said. When he heard 'she collapsed' a moment later he knew something was very wrong.

As Kuran made his, apparently serene way up the stairs, towards Yuki's bedroom, Zero watched apprehensively. For all Yuki and the Headmaster's reassurances he still did not trust the vampire, especially not with gentle Yuki. He decided. Somebody had to watch over Yuki. He often kept an eye out for her, so this wouldn't be out of the ordinary.

Creeping upstairs Zero heard a gentle murmur of conversation, which faded to nothing as he walked past. He slipped into the room next to Yuki's, and placed himself by the door so he could watch for Kuran's departure. A couple of minutes later he watched as Kuran padded out of the room, and pulled the door shut behind himself. Zero kept quite as Kuran looked around, and looked at him. The younger boy scowled.

"Still don't trust me, eh?" asked Kuran, guessing Zero's opinion and motives.

"No," replied Zero shortly.

"Good. You shouldn't."

With that Kuran turned and walked down the stairs and out the door.

Glad to see him go, Zero slipped into Yuki's room. She was sleeping quietly, which was a good thing. Noticing a cloth, which had come off her forehead, he went to fetch a bowl of cold water, and some ice to keep it that way.

As he put the cold cloth on her forehead to bring down her fever, Zero surreptitiously looked her over for other injuries or wounds, or anything of the sort. Finding none, he prevented himself from breathing a sigh of relief. He forgot himself for a little while in the familiar task of nursing somebody sick. As long as he didn't think of Ichiru, and focused on this girl-child instead he would be fine.

Soon enough Zero had done all that was necessary, and realized that all there was to do was to wait for her fever to break, and for her to wake up. He moved silently out of her room to give her peace, and sat down in front of her door instead. Drawing his knees up to his chin he settled in to wait.

He couldn't have told you how long he waited, so absorbed in thought was he. All he knew was that thought of many things, and so much of it revolved around Yuki. He realized that he was doing more than just repaying the care she had given him when he first arrived. He honestly wanted her to be alright. Somehow he realized that which his heart already knew. He would keep protecting this little girl, be it from monsters of the night, or from people, or thoughts, or even the microbes that caused a cold. And he would protect her from himself, no matter what it took. This he vowed to himself, in the presence of any and all deities.

Zero looked up into Yuki's face as she opened her door and called his name. She looked surprised, probably not expecting to see him there, and opened her mouth, asking "What're you doing?"

"Nothing," he muttered and walked away, leaving her to ponder, and wonder about the warm spot on the floor. He would keep his vow. For her.

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I want reviews telling me how I did with my (borrowed) plot and minimum of dialogue! If I did well I want to know to continue, and if I didn't I want to know how to make it better. Thanks!


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